As is well known, one of the major goals of any computer application is or at least should be to be user friendly. To that end, many computer applications have user input mechanisms that are extensively thought out and highly evolved. Unfortunately, many such input mechanisms are now so highly evolved that they are too complicated, too confusing to a user, and/or take up too much screen real estate, thereby overlapping the application viewing area to an unacceptable degree.
In but one example, a multi-layer input mechanism may have a first set of input choices that are displayed in a first dialog box, where choosing one of the input choices from the first dialog box results in the display of a second dialog box along with the first dialog box, choosing one of the input choices from the second dialog box results in the display of a third dialog box along with the first and second dialog boxes, etc. As should be appreciated, the application viewing area may fairly easily be filled up with such a plethora of dialog boxes, to the point where the underlying computer application becomes hidden from view and is relegated to the status of being merely an afterthought.
In the aforementioned dialog box scenario and in other forms of prior art input mechanisms, it is increasingly necessary to make a selection by way of a mouse-driven cursor or the like. Unfortunately, and as one who often uses a mouse will attest to, it can be frustratingly difficult to easily position the cursor by way of the mouse on an appropriate choice in a repeated manner. In particular, such mouse-cursor movement typically involves an initial movement of the mouse and cursor toward a screen target, but which results in an overshoot of the target. One or more reversing movements are then necessary until the cursor is finally positioned on the target as is desired. If, for example, it is necessary to quickly execute four such cursor inputs at four separate locations, the user can quickly become tired and/or exasperated. Moreover, even with practice, input speed is not found to be significantly improved.
Accordingly, a need exists for an input manager that is displayed in a relatively compact area on an application screen such that the input manager does not require too much screen real estate. Further, a need exists for such an input manager where mouse-cursor input can be reduced, and input speed can be significantly improved.